Life through the eyes of "cookie"

If we only had a brain…and a heart…

I could while away the hours
Conferrin’ with the flowers
Consultin’ with the rain
And my head I’d be a scratchin’
While my thoughts are busy hatchin’
If I only had a brain
Lyrics from “If I only had a brain”
Wizard of Oz

Spurgeon reminded us that we needed to use our brains.
We needed to read, and in turn, learn from what we read…
meaning we learn from other’s brains…

In Education, we call this ‘teach one, tell one’…

The notion being that one is taught, and they, in turn, teach another…

The passing on of knowledge…

“Give yourself unto reading. The man who never reads will never be read;
he who never quotes will never be quoted.
He who will not use the thoughts of other men’s brains,
proves that he has no brains of his own.
You need to read.
. . .
We are quite persuaded that the very best way for you to be spending your leisure time,
is to be either reading or praying. You may get much instruction from books which
afterwards you may use as a true weapon in your Lord and Master’s service.
Paul cries, “Bring the books” — join in the cry.”

But what if what we now read is actually all wrong?

What if the sources we have trusted, the people we have trusted are no longer using their brains?
What if what they write, report and share are all wrong?

And so in turn, what we think we are learning, seeing and reading and eventually sharing
is all wrong?

The most egregious of which is what we have today–a story known simply as
“The Covington Catholic Boys”

I’m pretty outraged by all of this…
This idiocy of ours.
This indignation gone mad.

I’ve read some marvelous posts regarding this madness written by those with brains…
those who can say what I want to say but find myself currently at a loss…
At a loss due to this lunacy and due to just feeling too crappy to put decent
thoughts together in order to flow…
So I will let my friends with brains set the story straight while I have come to the conclusion that
we need to be a people who must now yearn for both our hearts and brains:

I could while away the hours
Conferrin’ with the flowers
Consultin’ with the rain
And my head I’d be a scratchin’
While my thoughts are busy hatchin’
If I only had a brain
I’d unravel ev’ry riddle
For my individdle
In trouble or in pain
With the thoughts
That I’d be thinkin’
I could be another Lincoln
If I only had a brain
Oh, I could tell you why
The ocean’s near the shore
I could think of things
I’d never thunk before
And then I’d sit down
And think some more
I would not be just a muffin’
My head all full of stuffin’
My heart all full of pain
And perhaps I’d deserve you
And be even worthy, even you
If I only had a brain

Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.
Psalm 51:10

Reblogged this on Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley and commented:
Sharing is Caring. Julie not only makes her point, she links to other blogs that reinforce the point. I also read in a devotion this morning a lament of a former secretary of education that there is an ever present attack on common sense. It takes the brain, in full use, to maintain that common sense.

Sometimes in the midst of the world’s frustration I think of the history of nursery rhymes and it helps to remind me there is really nothing new under the sun. Often it feels as if the world is going to hell in hand basket, but actually there really was a time when people were executing one another in a hand basket, hence the phrase we use today. We’re all busy playing a happy game of, “ashes, ashes, we all fall down,” but those guys were actually writing those words about the plague.

Love how you said this, “And so in turn, what we think we are learning, seeing and reading and eventually sharing is all wrong?” That’s a scary thing, isn’t it? In the modern world I think we’ve done ourselves a real disservice, because “knowledge” isn’t wisdom. Information isn’t truth. And those “trusted sources” are a total joke. I suppose it doesn’t really matter whether you use your heart, your brain, or your courage, but there better be something working in that strawman to give you some discernment skills. 🙂

Have our brains been numbed by all the madness that exists today? Have we become so complacent that we accept everything as truth? God created us with brains, so it’s our responsibility to avoid the things that will make them die, and turn to the things of God. I can’t begin to discuss this subject or I’ll go on another rant. Think it’s time for another vacation from the news.

IB did a good followup post on it as well. The subject of bias came up, and that is a big problem. Whether we admit it or not, we all look at any situation through the lens of our own presuppositions. That is not necessarily wrong, but we need to be honest about it. Obviously, I would look at any situation through the lens of faith. The real issue is when we aren’t upfront about our own bias. There is no such thing as a purely objective person, and I don’t care what people say. Let’s just be honest about them, and conversations could really go much better.

Exactly. LIke I said, bias is fine. I mean, we are who we are. We just ought to understand and admit we have them. For instance, if I am debating and discussing and try to present my thoughts as completely neutral and without the influence of my faith, then I am being dishonest. Disengenuous I suppose is the correct term.

Actually, the admission of bias does a lot to promote positive dialogue. I like to ask people, especially in faith related debates, just what their position is. It helps to understand. The minute a person claims to have NO position or presupposition, but that they are simple neutral an looking for truth, then basically the conversation has already hit a roadblock.

Just got home from long day of ministry and studying. I’m glad you wrote this and I appreciate the link to my blog and that of others I esteem. I got pretty angry how bad the media and this Nathan Phillips guy twisted the event to be something it wasn’t at the risk of the safety of these kids. I’m glad you wrote this post, the internet through social media and blogs have been a mean of keeping the media accountable

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Who I am

Hi, my name is Julie.
I'm a 59-year-old​ wife, mom, and a retired educator. I was a high school art teacher for almost 31 years. I was lovingly given the nickname "cookie" by my students--hence the title of this blog.
For a more detailed profile of who I am ---my interests and passions--- please see the "About" page regarding what makes the life of a "Cookie'